The treatment of wastewater and sewage often involves the use of septic systems, particularly in rural areas and barrier islands where municipal wastewater treatment plants are not available. However, septic systems have several negative features, including the need for regular maintenance pumping and treatment, the risk of septic backup into residences, the potential for environmental contamination, and the concern about rising water table levels near the coast due to rising sea levels.
Wastewater treatment plants avoid the risks associated with septic systems but have negative features of their own, particularly the need for large land areas for disposal of treated wastewater.
The present invention overcomes shortcomings in the art by providing wastewater treatment systems with decentralized disposal of treated wastewater as well as methods of converting existing septic systems to a wastewater treatment plant system.